BIKE

MECHANIC
SALARIES
I once heard a joke…
What do you call a bike mechanic
that just got dumped?
What do you call a bike mechanic
that just got dumped?

Homeless.
 Ever wondered what a
bike mechanic gets paid?
In 2003 the average annual salary for a high school drop out was

$23,013 US Census Bureau

In 2003 the average annual salary for a high school drop out was

$23,013 US Census Bureau

In 2013 the average annual salary for a bike mechanic was

$22,337 Salary.com
This leads me to ask…
This leads me to ask…
The average bike mechanic earns less than a
The average bike mechanic earns less than a

Gardener
$29,962
The average bike mechanic earns less than a

Gardener
$29,962

Janitor
$25,188
The average bike mechanic earns less than a

Gardener
$29,962

Janitor
$25,188

Shoe Repairman
$24,274
3 lowest paying states for bike mechanics:
48. Alabama
$19,634
49. West Virginia
$19,433
50. Mississippi
$18,450
And the 3 highest paying states:
3. New Jersey
$25,509
2. New York
$26,045
1. California
$26,983
And the full list:
1. California: $26,983 (San Francisco)
2. New York: $26,045 (New York)
3. New Jersey: $25,509 (Trenton)
4. Alaska: $25,285 (Anchorage)
5. Hawaii: $24,548 (Honolulu)
6. Delaware: $24,436 (Wilmington)
7. Massachusetts: $24,392 (Boston)
8. Washington: $24,101 (Seattle)
9. Connecticut: $23,856 (Hartford)
10. New Hampshire: $23,565 (Nashua)
11. Illinois: $23,431 (Chicago)
12. Michigan: $23,409 (Ann Arbor)
13. Rhode Island: $23,186 (Providence)
14. Maryland: $23,074 (Baltimore)
15. Pennsylvania: $23,007 (Philadelphia)
16. Oregon: $22,828 (Portland)
17. Maine: $22,806 (Portland)
18. Ohio: $22,694 (Cleveland)
19. Louisiana: $22,627 (New Orleans)
20. Colorado: $22,381 (Boulder)
21. Minnesota: $22,337 (Minneapolis-St. Paul)
22. Virginia: $22,314 (Richmond)
23. Georgia: $22,158 (Atlanta)
24. Arizona: $22,158 (Phoenix)
25. Florida: $21,912 (Miami)
26. Nevada: $21,912 (Las Vegas)
27. Indiana: $21,823 (Indianapolis)
28. Missouri: $21,756 (Kansas City)
29. Texas: $21,644 (Austin)
30. Idaho: $21,622 (Boise)
31. Kansas: $21,510 (Wichita)
32. Vermont: $21,399 (Burlington)
33. Utah: $21,332 (Salt Lake City)
34. Kentucky: $21,265 (Lexington)
35. Iowa: $21,198 (Des Moines)
36. Oklahoma: $21,153 (Tulsa)
37. Nebraska: $20,907 (Omaha)
38. North Carolina: $20,863 (Fayetteville)
39. New México: $20,684 (Albuquerque)
40. Wisconsin: $20,550 (Madison)
41. South Carolina: $20,527 (Columbia)
42. North Dakota: $20,103 (Bismarck)98
43. South Dakota: $20,014 (Rapid City)
44. Tennessee: $19,924 (Chattanooga)
45. Arkansas: $19,880 (Little Rock)
46. Montana: $19,768 (Billings)
47. Wyoming: $19,701 (Casper)
48. Alabama: $19,634 (Montgomery)
49. West Virginia: $19,433 (Charleston)
50. Mississippi: $18,450 (Jackson)
Source: Salary.com – Totals are average for the listed city
 We can compare this to the average
personal income in the US:

$40,584
Connecticut being the highest at $56,001
and Mississippi the lowest at $31,186.
US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis 2010
While this is decent pay in some countries.
The average cost of living in the US is:

$20,194
While this is decent pay in some countries.
The average cost of living in the US is:

$20,194
This is for a single person.
Where annual spending on food is $2577,
annual spending on housing is $6844,
and a car costs $3442 each year.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013

So when comparing national averages:
$40,584 income for all people
$22,337 income for bike mechanics
$20,194 as costs of living

Bike mechanics are

$18,247 below average income
but $2143 above average expenses.

At least they can afford a bike.

 But it also means bike mechanics in
9 states are earning below the national
average for expenses.

Yikes.
Hardly anyone works as bike mechanic
because the money is amazing.
But earnings this low can make it difficult
to live comfortably in many places.

Especially in some bigger cities.

 A bike mechanic in San Francisco
earns $26,983 on average.

But the average cost of rent is $30,786

for a one bedroom apartment.
Let’s look at these cities for bike mechanics
City Bike Mechanic Salary 1 Bedroom Rent
1. San Francisco, CA $26,983 $30,786
2. New York, NY $26,045 $38,208
3. Trenton, NJ $25,509 $11,340
4. Anchorage, AL $25,509 $12,660
5. Honolulu, HI $24,548 $15,600
6. Wilmington, DE $24, 436 $13,320
7. Boston, MA $24,392 $29,088
8. Seattle, WA $24,101 $14,112
9. Hartford, CT $23,856 $12,600
10. Nashua, NH $23,565 $11,748

Apartmentratings.com
Let’s look at these cities for bike mechanics
City Bike Mechanic Salary 1 Bedroom Rent
1. San Francisco, CA $26,983 $30,786
2. New York, NY $26,045 $38,208
3. Trenton, NJ $25,509 $11,340
4. Anchorage, AL $25,509 $12,660
5. Honolulu, HI $24,548 $15,600
6. Wilmington, DE $24, 436 $13,320
7. Boston, MA $24,392 $29,088
8. Seattle, WA $24,101 $14,112
9. Hartford, CT $23,856 $12,600
10. Nashua, NH $23,565 $11,748

In these cities more than 50% of annual income goes to rent

Apartmentratings.com
Let’s look at these cities for bike mechanics
City Bike Mechanic Salary 1 Bedroom Rent
1. San Francisco, CA $26,983 $30,786
2. New York, NY $26,045 $38,208
3. Trenton, NJ $25,509 $11,340
4. Anchorage, AL $25,509 $12,660
5. Honolulu, HI $24,548 $15,600
6. Wilmington, DE $24, 436 $13,320
7. Boston, MA $24,392 $29,088
8. Seattle, WA $24,101 $14,112
9. Hartford, CT $23,856 $12,600
10. Nashua, NH $23,565 $11,748

And in these cities, yeah, that’s a real freakin’ bummer right there.

Apartmentratings.com
 How can this be changed?
How can bike work be valued for more?
 How can this be changed?
How can bike work be valued for more?

When a bike can cost $8000,

why is the tune-up only $80?
 How can this be changed?
How can bike work be valued for more?

When a bike can cost $8000,

why is the tune-up only $80?

Are customers unwilling to pay more?

Or are mechanics afraid to charge more?
 Please comment with ideas
and share these questions with others.
 Please comment with ideas
and share these questions with others.

Thank you
@donnyperry